Caddo Correctional Center let inmate out of jail on accident

Caddo Correctional Center let inmate out of jail on accident

Jeremiah Peterson was let out of jail in error. He has since turned himself in.

Caddo Correctional Center is under scrutiny, after accidentally letting an inmate out of jail.

Jeremiah Peterson turned himself in Thursday morning, 20 days after correction officials let him walk out of jail June 20.

The convicted drug dealer, armed robber, and burglar was serving an eight year sentence on a purse snatching charge.

Jail Commander Bobby Wyche believes one of his clerks made an error on June 17, after Peterson returned from court. According to court records, he pled guilty to one count of purse snatching, and the other purse snatching charge was dismissed.

"One of our clerks goes into the record management system, and places a hold on him, seeing he's been sentenced to eight years hard labor with Department of Corrections. That was not done. The hold was not placed on him," said Wyche.

Instead, the clerks received notice June 20 that his second purse snatching charge was dismissed, so they let him go. It wasn't until they received the clerk of court minutes on July 1 that they realized there was an error.

"We realized on July 1 that he had been missing for eleven days," said Wyche.

For 20 days, Peterson was a free man. On July 8, Judge Ramona Emanuel signed an order for Peterson to be arrested and his info to be entered into the NCIC to assist authorities in recapturing him.

It wasn't until July 10 Peterson turned himself in, hours after his accidental release was reported to the public.

Wyche said they're working to figure out which clerk made the error.

This isn't the first time the Caddo Correctional Center let an inmate out in error. According to Wyche, at least two were released in error in 2013. In January of 2012, five federal inmates were released by accident after the US Marshal's office failed to notify the jail about pending federal charges when state charges were dropped. U.S. Marshal Henry Whitehorn said authorities found the five suspects and put them back behind bars within 48 hours.

Previously, the U.S. Marshal's office would fax the Caddo Correctional Center, telling them to hold federal inmates. Since 2012, it changed its policies so that U.S. Marshal employees would fax, email, and photo copy hold orders, that way it can verify the jail received its notices. Both agencies said this change in procedures has been successful.

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